The Madras High Court rejected a writ petition from the Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA) that aimed to ban online movie reviews during the first three days after a film’s theatrical release. The court determined that such a restriction would violate the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh highlighted that evaluating newly-released films on mainstream media as well as platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X is a vital part of this right, indicating that producers cannot expect only positive feedback.
The judge pointed out that producers must accept the current realities and should not attempt to stifle reviews. He stated, “The relief you seek through this writ petition is untenable and cannot be granted by this court.” He also noted that the producers appeared to disregard the significant competition that OTT platforms pose to traditional cinema, as more viewers are choosing to watch new releases from home rather than in theaters.
During the proceedings, the judge commented, “We live in an era where negative feedback is prevalent for everyone, including judges. Just consider how I’ve been criticized on social media. We cannot erase such expressions. Nowadays, everything and everyone is subject to review, and it is beyond anyone’s control.”
Moreover, the judge asked, “If I were to grant the order you are asking for, how would it even be enforced? I cannot support issuing directives that are unimplementable. What you propose is unfeasible in this court. The entire world is now influenced by social media, and no individual, organization, or country is immune to the reviews or comments spread across these platforms.”
